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Flooding in Fiji's Nadi (ONE News) - Source: ONE News -
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The clean up is getting underway in Fiji following days of heavy rain which left seven people dead.
Fiji police say that there are four young people missing, two of whom are believed to have been buried under a mudslide.
A 19-year-old man was washed away in floodwaters on Friday night and a 13-year-old boy was also swept away while crossing a river.
The country's Western Division is worst hit, with more heavy rain on the way and looking likely to continue into next week. Many places are under water after a storm dumped 400 millimetres of rain in 12 hours.
Phone contact with Fiji is all but impossible with lines either dead or constantly engaged.
More than 30 evacuation centres have been set up by Fiji's
National Disaster Management Centre. Already, almost 1200 people
stranded by the weather are taking refuge in the shelters.
Interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama declared a state of
emergency at the weekend and curfews were imposed in some areas to
prevent looting after days of heavy rains in the country's west,
said Minister of Defence and National Security Ratu Epeli.
"It is basically to safeguard lives and property. We want to prevent criminal elements from taking advantage of the flood hit areas," Epeli told the Fijilive website on Monday, adding dusk to dawn curfews were in place in Ba, Nadi and Sigatoka towns.
Police rescue teams were forced to pluck people to safety to
rooftops in some areas as floodwaters up to three metres deep
struck some areas, the Fiji Times newspaper said.
More bad weather caused by seasonal storms is also forecast in
coming days.
Hundreds of foreign tourists were stranded in resorts, with flights
disrupted in some airports and roads shut, while up to 9,400 local
people had been forced to evacuate to makeshift emergency centres,
the National Disaster Management Office said.
"A lot of the restaurants are shut. They've run out of food,"
New Zealand tourist Nigel Lagdon told ONE News.
Floodwaters began to recede on Monday in the northwestern towns of
the main Viti Levu island, although some areas remain inaccessible,
Fijilive says.
Fiji's Works Ministry said the region now faces a health risk as
people may drink water contaminated by flooding, while in other
regions crops have been destroyed as rivers burst their banks to
cause the worst flooding in more than a decade.
Flood Victim appeal
Radio Apna is running an appeal for victims for 54 hours from 6pm
Monday January 12 until midnight Wednesday January 14. To call in
and pledge money, people can ring 8362990 or 8367990
To deposit money directly into a relief fund account it is:
BNZ
02-0108-0043563-01
The money collected will be distributed from Radio Apna's Fiji office in Lautoka to the victims affected by the floods.
A Fiji Relief Account has also been set up at the ANZ Bank. You
can donate at any branch
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